Among the Shadows
by jac3r
Summary: Harry Potter is born the older brother of the BWL, when Voldemort's attack left both his parents alive and him without magic he is put into the care of a white haired witcher. With conflicts arising between human and non-human, muggle born and pureblood, and his estranged family, it is Harry's job to stand against the evil, the world doesn't need a hero, it needs a professional.
1. Chapter 1

`Harrigan James Potter sat as quiet as he could on the top stairwell of his home and listened to his parents fight, about him, yet again. The fireplace in the drawing room crackled and spit as if it was trying to counter the storm that raged outside, the crackling thunder was what had woken him up initially, baby Nate was still sleeping and mum had warned him not to wake him because Nathaniel was fussy and kept the rest of them up enough as is. Harrigan was a big boy, too big to need comfort during a thunderstorm, he was four now! Mum and Dad were fighting, yelling loud enough that they would probably wake Nate if they kept at it even over the crashes of lightning and thunder. His mum's eyes looked wild and he could see the tear streaks from here they quieted after a particularly loud shriek of outrage continuing in hushed and heated whispers. The fireplace flared again though this time with a green light and out came 'fesser Dumbledore he almost jumped up to greet the old man who was almost a grandfather to him before he remembered he wasn't supposed to be awake and was currently hiding behind the fancy bannisters of the ancestral Potter home.

"Professor!," Dad exclaimed taking the 'fessor's hand in his and shaking it maybe a little roughly as the old man had to lay a calming hand upon his shoulder, sometimes the 'fessor did that to him too when they tried to get him to use magic.

"Peace, James, has he arrived?" Dumbledore responded pulling off his outer robe without bothering to banish the ashes that had gathered on it.

"No, not yet", he was supposed to have been here by now, shouldn't he have been here by now?" Harrigan had never heard his dad sound like that, not even when Uncle Padfoot threw Nate just a little too high. Sometimes his dad sounded like that when they tried to make him do magic too. Harrigan knew he was different, his parents tried to hide it from him and everyone else they knew but he could tell. Things had changed after That Night, the bad man had been after them and mum had had Nate in her tummy when they moved into a new house. It was smaller than the one they lived in now so he had to share a room with Nathan when he was born he didn't mind really, Nate had a lot of new toys that he could play with but he missed his mum and Dad, they weren't home a lot anymore and Uncle Peter _never_ played with him and always made Nate cry. Then one night while Mum and Dad were gone the bad man came he had hit Harrigan and shot a spell at Nate, Harrigan was thrown against the falling rubble and the magic burned like touching the hot stove all inside him. His mum and dad had come home and he and baby Nate were taken to the healers. Mum and Dad were really tense the next few days after leaving the hospital, he had bumped his head and Nate had a scar on his forehead but other than that they were fine.

He just couldn't do magic anymore, That Night had been almost a year ago now, Nate's and his birthday had come and passed and he hadn't done anything, before when he got upset or angry he could make things happen, just like Mum and Dad and everyone else in their old village but now, nothing. Even Nathaniel had started floating his blocks around the room or lowering the bars on his crib so he could crawl out. 'Fesser Dumbledore had taken him all over trying to figure out what was wrong with him, they used the word traumatized a lot, he didn't know what it meant but he talked to a lot of people in the beginning, now mostly he just stays home when ever Mum and Dad and Nate would leave. Sometimes he would see his Dad reading the newspapers and getting real angry, while he couldn't read much yet, Uncle Remus had taught him his name and he recognized it among the burning papers in the fireplace come morning, Mum and Dad always fought those mornings. He definitely wasn't going to tell him that he couldn't even feel that little spark that must have been his magic anymore, they would be so upset.

While he was lost in his thoughts he missed the rest of the conversation between the 'fessor and his parents but a loud banging on the front door made both the adults and him jump. They all went quiet for a second and Harrigan couldn't help but hold his breath as the air thickened with tension. 'Fessor Dumbledore was the one to step forward as rain pounded against the pane he opened the door for a tall man to step in.

"Geralt of Rivia, welcome," The 'fessor opened the door wider so that the man could step in and Harrigan had to cover his hands over his mouth to stop from gasping. The man had snow white hair tied away from his face and wore full armour complete with two swords and a crossbow, he looked like a knight! And he was dripping all over Mum's floor.

"Didn't mean to be late, the storm kept me", the man's voice was gruff like he had breathed in too much flu ash and there were deep, white and puckered scars on his face. Harrigan would never admit it but the man frightened him, just a little.

"Oh It's no trouble, no trouble at all, now let's get down to business", The "fessor conjured his favourite chair and sat on it almost primly for a man of his age, "Geralt this is Lily and James Potter".

"Of course it is, everyone knows the parents of the Boy-Who-Lived, I assume that this has something to do with him?" The white-haired one, Geralt replied.

"It's about our son," Mum burst out and Harrigan couldn't help but perk up, they were talking about Nathaniel, what could this stranger possibly have to do with baby Nate. "Harrigan, Nathaniel's older brother."

Harrigan's breath caught and Geralt's head whipped towards his hiding place Harrigan found himself staring into amber cat's eyes slit pupils and all a rhyme forced itself to the front of his mind.

For the Witcher brave and bold

Paid in coin of gold

He'll chop and slice you

He'll gut and dice you

He'll eat you up whole

Eat you whole

The man's cat eyed pupil's narrowed meeting what he knew was the green of his own. "Witcher?" Dad interrupted the man who held his gaze a second more before turning around without giving away his location. Harrigan couldn't be anything but happy now that the man's attention was off of him

"Need more details than that", the Witcher said brusquely. Why would Mum and Dad hire a Witcher about him?

"The night that he who must not be named attacked was the last time Harrigan has done magic", Mum told him her eyes filling with tears, so about his magic again Harrigan really shouldn't be surprised.

"Uh-huh, so he watched his little brother almost be murdered, I heard that traumatic experiences can affect the flow of magic, I'm a Witcher, not a healer and not a mage." Geralt replied leaning himself against one of the wooden support beams.

"You don't understand, our little Harrigan, before everything happened had an incredibly large magical core, Nate is the same, we took him to several specialists, even more healers they all say the same thing, it is untreatable, his pathways to his magic have all been fried, closed off", Dad finished his head falling into his hands. Harrigan felt the sob rising in his chest, his magic? Gone forever? But maybe that was why the Witcher was there, to help, Mum said that was what Witchers do.

The Witcher's eyes flicked back to Harrigan's hiding place before he refocused on the adults speaking. "Still don't see how this involves me".

"His magical pathways may be obliterated but his core, that still exists, you know that those kind of children need the correct kind of training", 'Fessor Dumbledore said in his special kind tone, the same voice he would use when people would come see his parents and Nate while he would get looks of mistrust and would be ignored often by their visitors.  
"Mm', Geralt hummed, "how old is he?"

"Four, he's four, three years older than Nate," Mum replied.

"No, that's too young and I am definitely not the right Witcher for this job we don't even begin training until they reach the age of ten, at the very minimum".

"That is unacceptable, he can not stay here!" 'Fessor Dumbledore exclaimed and Dad flinched so hard that he could see it from the stairs.

"I can give of friend of mine your contact information and in a few years when the boy is old enough you can decide with him what you are going to do, the boy is alive and healthy you

should be grateful for that." The Witcher advised his face eerily blank.

Harrigan didn't understand what was happening. Training? but he would get that when he went to Hogwarts and he had to be a lot bigger mum said before he could go there. Unless he didn't get to go to Hogwarts anymore 'cus he didn't have magic now.

"He can't stay here, it puts the rest of their family in danger, the purebloods are already in a fit because Nathaniel is a halfblood, why, the muggleborns are rallying around that fact, when they find out Harrigan has no magic, is a squib for all intents it will be anarchy", Dumbledore argued in the self-assure way that he was used to.

"And what of your boy's safety, it is no life one chooses willingly it is dangerous and death is not only a possibility but a very real probability, you would sacrifice one child for the supposed safety of the other."

His mum's face crumpled while his dad's got hard and steely like it did when he woke nate up from a nap to play. "James, maybe we shouldn't-"

"Lil, we've been over this, Professor Dumbledore thinks this is the best option. Harrigan is strong, he'll make it. Nate is already going to have hard enough time growing up, so will Harrigan, how do you think he will feel in a few years when he doesn't get to go to Hogwarts when he is so discriminated against it will be dangerous for him to leave the house, you never grew up in this world, what you face as a muggleborn will be nothing, _nothing_ compared to what our son would." Dad had his hands on Mum's shoulders and then continued deep sadness in his eyes. "But still, he'd our son, our boy, I don't know if this will be doing him any favours and isn't that out jobs as parents to make sure our children's lives are as easy as possible?"

Harrigan stomach clenched something wasn't right what did they mean he couldn't stay here, were they going to move again? He like this new house there were trees to play in and no one around for miles. He shifted and the stairs creaked causing all of the adults to turn towards him. He held his breath but Geralt huffed and spoke loudly, "you might as well come out now, they know you are there," Harrigan hesitated only a moment before slowly walking down the stairs his blue blanket trailing behind him,

"Harrigan James! You are supposed to be sleeping, what are you doing out of bed?" Mum shrieked he rarely heard that voice and when he did he knew he was in serious trouble.

"The lightning woke me up and then you and Dad were fighting but I had to get you so that I- I mean _Nate_ wouldn't be scared."

His Mom's face softened a bit and his dad scooped him up, "C'mon buddy back to bed," Harrigan buried his face into his dad's shoulder everything feeling better now that he had his familiar arms around him. He liked the smell of Dad, how he would tangle his fingers in the wild waves of his hair and ruffle it, he like the way their warm skin colour shone against the fire, he like that he looked like his Dad.

"No, James we need to come to an agreement tonight," Fessor Dumbledore spoke his normally warm tone missing instead it was filled with ice that ran directly down his spine.

"Dad?" He asked when he was pressed more firmly against his chest Dad's shoulders shook a little and he thought he could hear him crying softly. "Daddy? Whats wrong? Dad?"

"He's just a babe, mage, and you would separate him from his family." The Witcher spoke his voice as sharp as the swords on his back.

"There is little choice, especially for you if you wish to keep the financial and political support that I bestow upon your organization, Witcher" "Fessor said a sad look on his face.

"I am not a baby!" Harrigan lifted his head from his dad's shoulder before ducking back down again when he met the slightly amused cat eyes staring back at him.

"Hush Har", Dad said rubbing his back in the small circles Dad knew he liked. "This is Geralt," His father croaked his eyes locking onto his own his dad put him down and Harrigan couldn't help but to immediately clutch his blanket in his arms and to slip a little behind his father's leg.

"Harrigan, there are somethings that we need to talk about and Daddy and I need you to be a big boy about them okay, we both want you to know that we love you very much and nothing is going to change that. Okay?" Mum crouched down so that I was staring into identical eyes as my own.

"'Kay", He agreed the missed sleep catching up with him.

"You, will be staying with Geralt for a little while, he going to help you, teach you some things that you need to know". She tried to smile but he could see her lips quivering and her eyes filling with tears.

"But why? You and Daddy and Nate are coming too right", Harrigan ask twisting his blanket anxiously around his hands. He could feel his eyes starting to burn and it felt like he had a lump lodged in his throat. "Mum?" Vaguely he realized that Dumbledore had left the room and up the stairs.

"You know how some of the other kids we see and even some of the adults don't always talk very nicely to me about being muggleborn? That's because your grandparents were never born with magic, non-magic people aren't treated very well now are they?" Harrigan shook his head, sometimes he heard about the attacks that witches and wizards fought against the non-magical people and even themselves if their families weren't pure enough. "And remember how we went and saw all of those healers to try and get your magic fixed? They told us there was nothing physically wrong with you, that you just don't have access to your magic anymore" Now that she had said the words out loud had explained him his face crumpled and he could feel the tears slipping down his cheeks. "And now that you are non-magic people aren't going to treat you very nicely either, they are going to try and hurt you to get to your brother and Geralt will protect you from them".

The tears had turned into full blown sob the lump from his throat had moved and tightened around his chest like a vice, "please, mum with my magic i'll be better, I'll _try harder_ , please don't send me away." His chest was heaving like he couldn't breath even though he felt the air pushing in and out of his lungs.

"Har, hun it isn't about that, don't you want to be safe, don't you want to keep your brother safe, you told us that you wanted to always protect him, this is how you do that", she said closing her hands around his upper arms and looking at him with her wide green eyes.

"Ye- yes, but I don't want t-to go mummy, please," she had pulled him into her arms and was crying just as hard as he was.

"I know you don't, baby but we all need to make sacrifices , remember how we said that when we moved to keep Nate safe, you have to be a big boy, right?"

"Y-yeah, but-"

"It's probably best if we don't draw this out, say your goodbyes," The Witcher stepped forward and suddenly Harrigan wanted nothing more than to get as far away from this man as possible his mum squeezed him one last time before Dad picked him up and nearly crushed him.

"I am so, so sorry, son and I, your mother and I love you so very much,' Harrigan shoved his face into Dad's neck no doubt smearing snot and tears all along the collar of his robes.

"Da-Daddy, please do-don't let him take me, please", he begged again the panic squeezing him tighter or maybe that was his father and the short sob that he let out as well. He hear somebody slowly making their way down the stairs but he had his fingers clenched tight and his head pressed down and didn't look up. Dad continued to murmur how much they loved him while "fessor and Geralt conversed quietly about a bag of what he assumed were his things.

"Time to go," the Witchers boots clunked on the floor and Harrigan clenched his hands tighter, so tight he wouldn't be surprised if the ripped the fabric of his dad's robes. He felt surprisingly gentle hands on his side pulling him while his dad tried to pry his fingers off of his collar.

"No, no please, Daddy Mummy, please!" he choked as the unfamiliar man held him tight enough that he wasn't able to wriggle from his grasp, "don't take me, sir, please you don't want me, really!" Harrigan couldn't get his breath it rushed in and out of him like he had just run a long way.

" _ **Calm down**_ ," the Witcher's voice fell over him like a blanket and he intantly began to feel his heart slow, " _ **Take deep breaths**_ _"._

Harrigan did that exactly there were still tears coming from his eyes but he couldn't react as he had before, his mother gave one nervous glance at the witcher who held him before leaning in and pressing a damp kiss onto his forehead his father following shortly after. "We love you so, so very much sweet boy," Mum said brushing some of his thick black hair out of his eyes, she then picked his blanket off the floor and handed it to Gerlat. "You take care of him," She glared fiercely at him.

The witcher stared stonily back for a moment before nodding, "I will do my best". Before turning and walking out the door and into the rain he was soaked in a matter of seconds and the last glance he got of his parents was the 'Fessor's hand on both of their shoulders as if he were holding them Witcher hauled himself on the horse with one hand still keeping on pressed firmly against the boy's back and covered them both the best he could with his cloak before pushing his horse further down the road and further from his family.

AN-

Hey! Couldn't get this out of my head if you have any questions i would be happy to answer them and as always feedback i appreciated :)


	2. Chapter 2

Geralt certainly hadn't expected his evening to end with a child pressed against his chest as he rode back towards the castle that was one time known as Kaer Morhen. The child had shaken off his Axii sign eventually and had started weeping again, though less forcibly and eventually had cried himself to sleep. It was getting late and the storm did not seem as if it would let up anytime soon, while he wished to continue, he could use the rest and didn't children get sick rather easily? He thought so. the rain probably wouldn't be good for him.

Roach ran through the wide puddle that had begun to fill the dirt trail splashing water and soaking his boots, up ahead was what looked like a cathedral at one point and although it was half collapsed it would keep the rain off of them, hallowed ground was always a bonus that offered at least a bit of protection. Geralt climbed off his horse trying not to jostle the child into waking if he had to listen to him cry for the parents that had just abandoned him for another second there was a good chance he would go mad.

He was livid although he didn't show it well, that damned mage Dumbledore had them under his thumb and knew it! After the magical, and non-magical word split it had only been the support of powerful mages like Dumbledore that kept them an independent force and saved them from their fate from becoming another strike force of their so-called Ministry of Magic. The white haired witcher slipped the boy into his sleeping roll and wrapped his extra cloak around him so that he would be warm it was nearing winter and chilly. He needed to get the boy to Vesemir, he would know what to do with a four-year-old toddler. Even Ciri had almost been a youth when he took care of her. The boy had curled around his small blanket and stuck his thumb in his mouth and was sucking on it in his sleep. The faster he got the child to Vesemir the better. Slipping into his meditation form he prepared to wait out the night.

The child was still fast asleep when he came out of his resting state so he slipped outside relieved himself and refilled all of the water canteens and dumping some into the silver dish in his pack to wash his face and teeth in. The cracking of Roach' s shoes on the stone must have woke the boy because when he turned he was sitting up his hair a tangled halo around his head still sucking sleepily on his thumb. Food. That was important for growing children and clothes Gerald noticed as the boy was still wearing only pajamas and no shoes. Gods he hoped the child could dress himself.

The child looked around slightly confused but he wasn't crying yet, little mercies he supposed, though it looked to be a close thing considering the way he looked at him. He crouched to his level trying to make himself smaller, less threatening and boy was that a change. "Good, morning, I don't know if you remember but my name is Geralt".

The kid pulled his thumb out of his mouth and pulled his blanket up to replace it, Gods he was so young. "Are you going to eat me?" The boy's eyes were filling with tears.

"Eat you? Why-oh that rhyme. No, witchers don't eat people, they save them usually, from monster and others that wish to hurt people," he explained watching the boys reaction carefully.

"Oh, well that's good then, " the boy shifted his bare feet into the dirt and plants that had sprung up between the large stone floor tablets.

"What is your name?" Gerald tried again relaxing as the boy suspiciously scrutinized him as if he didn't quite believe that little boys weren't a favoured breakfast of monster hunters.

"Arri-Harrigan James Potter", he announced proudly struggling over his H for only a moment before applying an obviously often repeated correction.

"Harrigan huh?", he rubbed a hand across the stubble growing in on his chin. It was a pretty unusual name almost everyone knew it as the name of the boy-who-lived's bother's, being recognized would be nothing but bad for them. "Can I call you Harry?" There, that ought to do it. The child's eyes widened a little before nodded. "Come on then, let's go find you something to wear", He opened the satchel that the mage had packed the boy at least he had been wise enough to pack the boy with traveling clothes along with a pair of boots and a warm cloak. Harry, as it turned out, could dress himself, he put his boots on the wrong feet though it didn't seem to bother him so Geralt left it. He handed the boy his water skin after, he was probably dehydrated from the crying and the boy did drink, though not as much as Geralt would have liked.

He walked hefting Roach's saddle back on and strapping it, along with the saddlebags down. "This is my horse, Roach." Harry's eyes were filled with wonder though he didn't even come up to the horse's knee. "Up you get", he lifted the young child under the armpit onto the saddle then climbed on behind him. The kid was stock still but slowly reached out and ran his fingers through the course hair of Roach's mane, he would have to brush the mud from the storm of it soon. Maybe if they could find a stable Harry would like to do it, he seemed entranced with the horse and cut off a squeal when they started at a fast gait down the dirt trail they were following.

"Are you taking me home now?" Harry asked in a quiet voice head bowed low tracing some of the stitches on the saddle with his fingers.

"No, you'll come with me to Kaer Morhen, to my home. I was on my way there anyway, planning on spending the winter there. My friend Vesemir will look after you, he is good with children", the kid deflated making a soft "oh" sound before he went quiet. They rode in silence for a while before he noticed the boy shuddering, focusing closer he realized the boy was actually crying. It wasn't the violent sobs filled with desperation, these were no less heart wrenching however. It was a quiet sniffling and these were filled with a defeated acceptance instead. Though the child was too young to know it now, he would probably not see his parents again for years.

Gerald was at something of a loss on how to comfort the boy so he dug into one of the packs and pulled out breakfast.

The boy took the apple and sweet bread and nibble along the edges of the bread before stopping. "If you aren't hungry you can save it for later if you want the boy nodded and places the apple among the fold of his coat. He then handed him the water, the boy hadn't drunk enough or eaten enough if he was being honest and though he could imagine the emotional upheaval had probably robbed the boy of his appetite Geralt would need to keep an eye on his young charge. It would not do to show up at Kear Morhen with the boy half dead, the ride would be hard enough on him.

Not an hour later the boy started shifting restlessly in the saddle he tried to subtlety glance back a few times before catching his eye and whipping towards the front again finally unable to take any more Geralt barked out a gruff "what is it?"

"Nothin'"

"Harry," His tone was stern but not mean when the boy continued shifting.

"Gotta pee." the boy said wiggling a little. The sigh that Geralt let out was completely unintentional, he swore it was, really.

"Well, why didn't you go this morning?" Even as he asked this he stopped the horse and was lifting the boy down then helping him with the convoluted knot he had managed to tie into his trousers.

"Didn't have to go then," The boy said the first hint of what he was guessing to be a very common impish smile, seeing it surprised a chuckle out of him. When the boy was finished he took the apple out of his pocket and held it to the horse who almost took his fingers off in its excitement.

The journey would normally take Geralt a week to complete maybe less, but he had not calculated traveling with a kid. The boy had performed amiably, he had to admit not complaining about the long days spent on horseback most often than not falling asleep in the saddle. That was until Geralt noticed the boy walking tenderly on the third day. Saddle sores had developed on his buttocks and thighs the hadn't burst yet, which was goos but looked painful, Geralt felt quick flash of guilt before brutally shutting it away. Of course this would happen the boy had probably never ridden anywhere in his life and he had stuck him on a horse for nearly three days straight, even he had begun to get a little stiff. Although it was still early evening he sent the boy to bed as he was swaying on his feet, this simply proved why he was not to be trusted with a child,

Geralt made the decision that they would rest a day maybe two to let the boy recover slightly, it was perhaps a mistake. The boy slept nearly until noon and Geralt made a special treat of hot rash made of rabbit, wild onions, and spices over the fire. When the boy finally crawled from the sleeping sack he ate like a hungry wolf and then he made him

wash in the cold water creek which surprisingly he loved. Splashing about and using leaves and pieces of bark as bath toys, the child was strangely adaptable. Although there were times he noticed that all was not at peace with him, harry would get really quiet in the evening, melancholic almost, picking at his food. He was stoic for someone his age and Geralt realized that even though the boy was so young he did understand to something of a degree what had happened to him.

The white-haired Witcher took the time that the boy resting granted him to work on updating his bestiary and organizing contacts that were sent to him both through the ministry of magic and through Vesemir and his contacts. Harry who had been drawing on an old contract parchment with bits of charcoaled wood was now watching curiously as he tried to pair the meager description given to specific entities. The green eyes boy had scooted closed and was attempting to redraw a griffin onto his own parchment.

"What is it?" Harry asked colouring in the dark plumage of the beast.

"A griffin, somewhat rare these days they prefer isolated Ricky regions", the boy's face was alight with wonder, one of the first real expression other than exhaustion and sadness he had seen on his face and his soft exclamation was almost endearing. "When fighting a griffin, you need to be aware of its beak and claws of course but the wings also can pose a major problem they are as fine edged and as sharp as blades", Harry sat with rapt attention nibbling on his food as Geralt went through creature after creature in his bestiary with the boy. When they got to Kear Morhen Harry would be schooled about every other creature, their weaknesses, strengths, how to most effectively kill them. The white wolf gazed at the kid considering what the boy's life was going to be, he was resilient, Geralt gave him that much kept his emotions close to his chest for the more part, it was surprising for someone so young. Witcher training was brutal and Geralt wouldn't wish his worst enemy to have to go through training let alone the Trials, this boy wouldn't if he had anything to do about it. He would not face that agony, Geralt wouldn't let him.

The road was long, Godric's Hollow was far south as compared to Kear Morhen, sitting just east of the Brokilon forest, Lord and Lady Potter would likely come back out of hiding soon and continue managing their lands, whatever they didn't donate to the war effort that is. Geralt made an effort to bypass any of the major cities, a witcher traveling with a young child would be sure to raise suspicions and he would rather avoid conflict for now. Harry had become surprisingly amusing, the child was adjusting well to life on the road but kids were adaptable, Geralt had known that since he started hunting monsters, and Harry seemed more so than most. It made sense in a way, the kid had been shipped around nearly his whole life in hiding from the mad sorcerer Voldemort while his parents clearly favoured his brother. The wolf found that if they stopped during the day and he managed to get the boy to nap for an hour or two he would be in much better temper. He was far out of his realms of knowledge, how to bisect a siren in one swing, not an issue, raining basilisk gland of poison no problem, the emotional and physical well-being of a toddler, not a fucking clue.

He glanced at the boy who was busy catching frogs in the shallow water of the stream, it wouldn't be long and they would reach the keep, he could only imagine how Vesemir and Eskel would react let alone Lambert nearly shuddering at the thought he pulled dry clothes from the boy's bag, while methodically checking for drowners, water hags, and even sirens for the umpteenth time, the kid's recklessness was making him paranoid. "Harry, come get changed and eat your lunch! If we ride without any more breaks you might get a bath and a real bed tonight."

"A bath?" the boy scrunched his nose pulling the dry tunic over his chest and leaving the pants before shoveling the bread and cheese into his mouth like he was starving. Geralt ate his own food before handing Harry the daily apple so he could feed it to Roach. "I already was in the water though!" he grinned tanned cheeks dimpling as the horse crunched the apple.

"I can see that", he chuckled buckling the saddle and packing the remainder of their lunch. "Regardless you haven't seen hot water or soap in a fortnight and biting bugs like little boys who don't wash", Harry giggled picking at one of many scabs from said biting bugs before remembering the reprimands that Geralt had given him and wiggling in his still drenched britches.

"You should change your trousers or they'll rub when we ride."

"They'll dry out", Harry stubbornly looked down as if there was something interesting about his bare feet.

"Uh huh, everywhere except your arse, so be it but we aren't stopping in fifteen minutes because your seat is sore", with that he hoisted the child onto Roach and pulled himself up after pulling the child's boots back onto to him. An odd sound came from the boy who coughed a moment later, Geralt desperately hoped Harry wasn't getting ill, a homesick, ill toddler was the last thing he needed. Another sound this one more of a croak before the dark haired child started coughing again. "Harry, are you well? Does your throat hurt?"

"No it- croooaak", the sound broke through what Geralt was sure to be a hasty description and Harry winced noticeably shifting in his seat, the witcher jerked Roach to a stop.

"What is that?" Geralt dismounted and lifted Harry down after swinging down himself.

"Nothin'", Harry shifted slightly away.

"Harry, what are you hiding?" Geralt crouched in front of him putting just enough sternness into his time that the boy pulled a large lump out of his pocket. It was a toad. A large toad covered in lumps not looking at all distressed at being shoved into a child's pocket. "No," his tone was slightly harsher than he intended but he was nearly fed up with the kid packing all manner of small animals with him, " Harry put it in the grass and let's go." he waved the dry trousers at him again. Ah there it was the lip quiver and his big greens filling with tears. "Oh no none of that, there's a lake, well more of a swamp really, at Kaer Morhen, I'm sure there a plenty of frogs, there maybe even snakes if you are lucky. The kid looked far too pleased by the notion, Vesemir would have a fun time watching this one, even keeping him alive would keep him on his toes. The kid wiggled into his dry pant after releasing the amphibian making reaching arms so that Geralt would lift him back onto Roach. This damn kid would be the death of him.

Harry, however, had found his voice a few days back and hadn't shut up since he jabbered on nearly the entire day topics ranging from made up stories about Padfoot and Moony, which were as far as he could tell magic talking canines, to his little brother and parents, Geralt had to clamp down on his tongue in order not to snap at the boy that his parents had thrown him to the wolves, literally. He knew rationally that it was completely normal for the boy to miss his parents, the witcher would honestly be more concerned if he didn't, especially given what he already knew of the heads of the Potter house. He bit down the growl as the boy babbled about the day his "mummy" had taken baby Nate with her to visit 'fessor and when was gone all day, Harry had been left home by himself, doorknob in his bedroom to high for him to reach or locked by magic he wasn't really sure, his momma didn't like him wandering at night was his explanation to his inquiries about why he was locked in his bedroom. His father had eventually come home from wherever the hell he was and had let him out though he had, (this part said with an obvious mix of embarrassment and shame made his ears red and green eye drop, that put burning anger into Geralt's belly) apparently been unable to hold it until his father got there and had urinated in his night trousers.

By the time they had reached the road into Kear Morhen he had nearly talked himself out that was a good thing in Geralt eyes though the boy perked up almost instantly.

"You live in a castle?" The boy's exclamation made him chuckle.

"A keep actually, old Caer a'Muirehen, it is good to be home." Geralt pushed roach into a bit faster of a trot, there would be warm ale on the fire, and water ready to be heated for a bath in as short of time as possible if he could help it.

"Caer a- the boy's tongue stumbled over the vowel filled word or maybe he simply bit it after Roach jumped a fallen tree trunk.

"Eldar Speech, bastardized I think, it means Old sea Fortress, there are fossils in the walls, creatures that are even older than me", he leaned over the kids head and winked which earned him a giggle. The sun had sunk low over the mountains casting the valley in a navy blue haze of twilight the drawbridge was open which was rather strange but still very convenient seeing as the giant hole in the defenses had been fixed nearly two decades. Roach was restless, excited to be home presumably so Geralt dismounted leading the horse carrying the child who was expected to be turned into a weapon. "Vesemir!" He called his voice echoing off of the stone.

They waited a moment and sure enough a resounding "What!? What do you want? Who- oh Geralt, you're back early. And... There is a child on your horse what have you done?" The wolf tried his best not to look sheepish as he lowered Harry to the ground and began unsaddling and unpacking Roach.

"Come on, let's go get some supper." The boy startled out of his close inspection of the grounds and careful moved closer to Geralt's side, "sound good to you?" He tried again and this time was rewarded with a hesitant nod.

He didn't have to remind the boy to stick close because the kid was already practically his shadow holding onto the loose part of his tunic with a death grip. The hall was warm almost stifling after roughing it the past few months though the boy seemed to not mind burrowing his face in his blanket, he could see him wiggling his toes in his boots. Vesmir was laying out hot bowls of stew and thick bread along with fruit fresh from the harvest. The kid's eyes were wide but when Geralt sat and began pouring himself, hot ale the boy didn't move to sit beside him eyes fixed on Vesemir wearily

"Hello child, I'm Geralt's uncle Vesemir what's is your name?" Vesemir smiled kindly at the kid who ducked behind the chair.

He peeked around the seat looking a little more closely at Vesemir studying him from head to toe, "Harrigan, but Geralt calls me Harry." The words were barely audible after the kid smushed his face into the chair cushion but witcher hearing was useful.

"Harry huh, well Harry you had best jump up on your chair and eat your supper before it gets cold", Vesemir jerked his chin towards the empty chair.

Cautiously, like a scared cat, the boy slunk towards his food eyes flickering between the bowl, Vesemir and Geralt himself before finally shoving the first spoonful into his mouth making sure the spill nearly half his load onto the thin tunic he was wearing.

"Care to explain?" Vesemir's voice was staging at calm but underneath the collected facade it was relatively easy to see he was, greatly confused and slightly upset at having a four-year-old boy so afraid of him he wouldn't even eat. On the path such things were tolerated, expected even, witchers were hated by most and feared by all that was simply a fact. At Kear Mohren it was supposed to be different, this was their fortress, a place of respite, the only humans, or otherwise that came, came in search of their aid and were only too gracious, he understood all too well why the fear the boy showed him would leave a bitter taste.

Although he did not blame the boy, taken, no given up as a child by parents who were supposed to protect and shelter him, his lot thrown in with an outcast and some would say an obsolete group of monsters hunters with nothing but a bag of clothes and a now well-worn blanket. No, he did not blame the kid.

"Maybe later, after we get Harry settled in", Harry's head was bobbing dangerously towards his half eaten bowl and Geralt decided to stop a disaster before it started. He scooped the little boy up depositing him on his shoulders which managed to rouse the kid in a more wakeful state. "C'mon Harry let's go find your bed", he yawned showing the gap in his teeth.

Before sleepily grinning, "no bath?" Geralt couldn't help the snort the slipped out at the cautiously hopeful tone.

"Not tonight", he agreed slipping the boys mismatched boots off of his feet and his trousers following shortly after. They had done huge renovations in the past few decades though admiralty the keep had gone downhill since Yen had left. That thought was crushed almost as quickly as if formed. The bedrooms they had redone were empty and full of who knew what as it was only Vesemir and his trainees who were here these days and that was rare, in fact he hadn't seen Eskel or Lambert in some time.

The pallet was covered in warm furs which the boy immediately snuggled into making grabby hands until Geralt handed him his blanket. "Goodnight Harry, I'll be sleeping right over there if you need me", Geralt pointed at his own usual cot smirking at the fact that the pallet Harry was using was, in fact, Lamberts the man would be furious he thought gleefully. He worried the kid wouldn't do well sleeping in his own as he had when he had been so close to Geralt for the past two weeks but his fears were unfounded as the boy was asleep before he had finished pulling the fur over him.

Vesemir was sitting at the fire pulling in his mead waiting patiently for Geralt to join him. They drank in silence for some time until the moon climbed higher and a light sprinkle of rain began to pound against the panes, Geralt was glad they pushed through and made it to Kear Morhen that night instead of delaying. "The name, Harrigan," Vesemir's voice stirred him out of his musings, "it is the name name as the brother of the boy, the one who was attacked by the dark wizard?"

"Yes."

"And is this that same boy?"

"Yes."

"Huh."

They regained their silence for a while before Geralt began to explain. "When Voldemort attacked Harry's brother the after effect of the magic backfiring fried his source, he can't do magic, might not even be able to do signs now that I think about it. Anyway, Albus Dumbledore is a close friend of the Potter family he has somehow managed to convince them to put Harry into our, your, care" Geralt finished watching as Vesemir rubbed at his chin.

"They want us to turn him into a witcher? A weapon for their war i'm assuming." Vesemir's tone was sharp as ice. Geralt nodded one taking another long drag.

"Dumbledore threatened if we did not he would have us absorbed by their ministry, nothing better than dogs." The older Witcher cursed, "we will train him as we did Ciri, that child will not undergo the trials."

Geralt nodded and draped the last of his mead, he had thought the same but the Griffin school, in particular, has rumours going that there were new initiates being prepared for the trial. The witcher didn't know if that was true or not but they tended to leave the remaining wolf witcher's to themselves. There were few witcher's Geralt knew left alive anyway.

"And who will care for the boy? Not me, getting to old to run after tykes."

Geralt snorted at that, "Old? Vesemir you haven't aged a day since the third conjunction, none of us have in case you've forgotten, you were born to train children the way of the sword, besides I've done my share of child rearing its someone else's turn. Eskel or lambert maybe.

"Speaking of child rearing have you heard from Cirilla, maybe she would be willing to raise him, has she thought of children?"

Geralt huffed, " I doubt it, she will be pleased no doubt but she won't make that kind of commitment, you know her, she is in Kovir right now a bruxa contract from what I last heard." Geralt rubbed a weary hand down his face, " Yennefer would know what to do."

"No leads then."

"None it's as silent as it was 20 years ago, 50 even, there is nothing, no explanation." There was an unusual pitying look in Vesemir's eyes as he clapped him on the shoulder and headed towards his own room.

"This will change things, Geralt. Perhaps it is time to begin focusing on something else it has been nearly 50 years since the last conjunction and the separation of those wth magic and those without and there has been no word since then of Yennefer.

"Maybe", he replied gruffly neither of them believing it. "I'll stay for the winter come spring he's your responsibility. Geralt left his glass by the fire and began the tedious task of undoing his armour. He heard the soft breathing of Harry curled under his fur probably with his thumb tucked into his mouth. With a weary sigh, he pulled his own fur over himself and let the kids soft breathing lull him to sleep.


End file.
